SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SUPERFAST CHEMICAL EXCHANGE SATURATION TRANSFER SPECTRAL IMAGING

摘要

A system and method for creating magnetic resonance images are provided. The system applies an RF irradiation during a saturation time period at a reference frequency that saturates a range of selected labile spin species of the subject. The system encodes frequency offsets by applying a gradient G1 at least during the saturation time period. The system applies a plurality of slice selection gradients accompanied by a train of RF pulses during a voxel selection time period and a gradient G3 during an acquisition time period. One or more spin/gradient echo signals having information pertaining to at least one of metabolites and metabolite byproducts is acquired to form a CEST medical imaging data set and the CEST medical imaging data set is reconstructed to form a CEST image of the subject including information about the at least one of metabolites and metabolite byproducts within the subject.

主权项

1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprising:
a magnet system configured to generate a polarizing magnetic field about at least a region of interest (ROI) in a subject arranged in the MRI system; a plurality of gradient coils configured to apply a gradient field to the polarizing magnetic field; a radio frequency (RF) system configured to apply an excitation field to the subject and acquire MR image data from the ROI, a computer system programmed to:
control the RF system to apply a saturation radiofrequency (RF) irradiation during a saturation time period at a reference frequency that saturates a selected labile spin species of the subject;control the plurality of gradient coils to encode frequency offsets by applying a gradient G1, along slice selection or a preset direction, at least during the saturation time period;control the plurality of gradient coils to apply a plurality of slice selection gradients accompanied by a train of RF pulses during a voxel selection time period, wherein a padding gradient G2 is applied to control the signal formation;control the plurality of gradient coils to apply a third gradient G3 during an acquisition time period;control the RF system and the plurality of gradient coils, during the acquisition time period, to acquire one or more spin echo signals having spatial and spectral information pertaining to at least one of metabolites and metabolite byproducts within the ROI to form a chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) medical imaging data set during an acquisition time period; andreconstruct the CEST medical imaging data set to form a CEST image of the subject including information about the at least one of metabolites and metabolite byproducts within the subject.